Linkages Between Arctic Warming and Mid-Latitude Weather Patterns, Summary of a Workshop (2014)

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The National Research Council held a workshop in September 2013 to review the connections between Arctic warming and mid-latitude weather patterns, to discuss gaps in understanding, and to explore future research needs. Presenters and participants at the workshop (see list of participants) included many leading researchers in this realm with a diverse array of perspectives. Several hypotheses for how Arctic warming may be influencing mid-latitude weather patterns have been proposed. For example, Arctic amplified warming could lead to a weakened jet stream, resulting in more persistent weather patterns in the mid-latitudes. These linkages are the subject of active research. Many workshop participants noted that research on the Arctic influence on mid-latitude weather is still young, making it difficult to draw conclusions regarding the existence of such linkages or their mechanisms.